As the confetti settles from the Chiefs’ thrilling Super Bowl victory, the NFL offseason machine is already whirring to life. And one of the first orders of business is the opening of the franchise tag window on February 18th. This two-week period gives teams the opportunity to prevent their most valuable free agents from hitting the open market by applying the franchise tag.
How the NFL Franchise Tag Works
The franchise tag is essentially a one-year contract that binds a player to his current team, even if his deal is expiring. There are three types of tags teams can use:
- Non-exclusive tag: The most common variety, this allows the player to negotiate with other teams. However, his current club has the right to match any offer or receive two first-round picks as compensation if he leaves.
- Exclusive tag: This version prohibits the player from soliciting offers from other organizations. He can only re-sign with his current squad.
- Transition tag: Similar to the non-exclusive tag, except the team only gets the right to match offers, with no draft pick compensation if the player walks.
The value of the tags varies by position, based on the average of the top salaries at each spot. For example, the 2025 non-exclusive QB tag is a whopping $41.3M, while kickers and punters check in at just $6.5M.
Deadline for Long-Term Deals
Once a player is tagged, the two sides have until July 15 to work out a multi-year contract. If they can’t come to terms, NFL rules dictate that the player must either play the upcoming season on the one-year tag figure or sit out.
The July 15 deadline is a firm one. Over the years, we’ve seen cases like Kirk Cousins and Le’Veon Bell who weren’t able to finalize extensions and ultimately ended up moving on from their teams the following offseason.
– NFL insider Ian Rapoport
Notable Players Tagged in 2024
Last offseason, several high-profile players received the franchise tag:
- Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals: After a breakout season, Cincinnati locked up their star wideout with the $25.7M non-exclusive tag.
- L’Jarius Sneed, CB, Chiefs: The heart of Kansas City’s secondary was tagged at $20.4M.
- Kyle Dugger, S, Patriots: New England used the $19.6M tag to retain their hard-hitting safety.
- Justin Madubuike, DT, Ravens: Baltimore kept their run-stuffing tackle in the fold at $23.5M.
Those players now face a choice – negotiate a long-term pact with their clubs or play out the season on the lucrative one-year tender. Teams must be judicious with the tags, as each one counts fully against the salary cap and they can only be applied to the same player three times before the cost becomes exorbitant.
A Powerful Negotiating Tool
Ultimately, the franchise tag provides teams immense leverage in contract talks. It prevents true open-market bidding wars for elite players while still compensating them handsomely. And the July 15 deadline forces both sides to either find common ground quickly or delay the big payday for at least another year.
As the 2025 tag window gets set to open, several more big names are likely to be tendered, from Ravens QB Lamar Jackson to Giants DT Dexter Lawrence. Their contract sagas will be fascinating subplots to follow this spring and summer. The franchise tag may be a blunt instrument, but it’s an undeniably effective one for teams aiming to keep their cornerstone players in the building.
